Egg crate



. a citizen` ciE the PatentedA Mar. d, 1923..r

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United Sta-tes, `residing inf the city 'of lvlanistee, county Toi.. Manistee, and State of Michigan, have invented certain neuY land ,useful vlimprovements `in Crates, oflwhichthe followingis a speci- {kationi i l This invention 'relates to improvements in egg crates and refers more particularly to a double crate arrangement havingan inner supporting member carried by Wire springs positioned both on the top and bottom of the inner crate to absorb jolting and rough usage in transit.

Among the salient objects of the inven tion are to provide an egg crate consisting of an outer crate and an inner crate. the inner crate supported by removable Wire springs whereby the eggs are supported, so that there is at all times tree movement of the inner crate upon the resilient spring supports, preventing the eggs from receiving severe shocks Which would break the shells; to provide a crate which may be shipped in a knock-down condition and packed in a very small space when knocked down; to provide a crate which is light and` constructed of relatively cheap material. A heavy cardboard, pasteboard or box board will serve, as Well aswood or iibre board if the inner crate is supported as hereinafter explained.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the crate, parts removed so as to show the positioning of the eggs and the top open disclosing the interior construction. i

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the crate.

Fig. 3' is a detailed view of one of the supporting springs or carriers.

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail of the innerI crate construction.

Referring to the drawing, the outer crate 1 is of any desired material, which must necessarily be relatively stiff cardboard. libre board, Wood or heavy fibrous paper board or corrugated box board closed by the lids or laps 2, Whichvvhen the box is closed to be shipped are held in place by glued strips of fabric or paper. `Holes 3 are punched in the ends of the crate to permit ventilation and also to `furnish finger holes for lifting the crate. Further ventilation may be supplied about the sides of the crate and in the PETER linensnnm y.

isaaf serial nate-9,543.

` top-and bottom it the crate is to be used for .l 1 Y 4 f perishable goods, such as berries, fruits ort vegetables. l. l

the bottom of the outer crate 1 are positioned-the spring carriers 4E which consist in a transverse portion extending across the Width of the. crate, upright or vertical por-` ions fla, and horizontally extending legs 4J which are spread slightly in order to Contact the sides of the crate and thus be held in positlon when sprung into place. TWO or more of these spring carriers are positioned in the bottom of the crate according to the Weight that is to be carried. The usual practice is to have a spring at each end and one centrally positioned in Vorder that the inner crate Willbe supported at the ends and in the center.

0n top ot these spring carriers is positioned the inner crate which consists of a base portion 5 and side retaining Wires 5a. These sides or uprights 52L have horizontal legs which are turned back so that they may be hooked onto or engage the slots 6 of the base 5 of the inner crate.A These vertical side Wires are thus easily removable from the base and are disengaged from the base when shipped to the farmer, or transported in a knock-down condition.

Within the side Wires is held the egg cell structure 7. each cell containing eggs 8 as shown in Fig. 1. It is understood that the crates may be made of any desired size so that two dozen eggs or more may be shipped in a single crate.

On the top of the inner crate and egg cell structure is placed another base board 9. On top or this base board are placed additional resilient Wire carriers identical to the ones placed beneath the inner crate thereby supporting the inner crate on spring supports Whether placed upright or in an inverted position. The top flaps or lids 2 are glued or otherwise fastened in place` and the crate is thus sealed and may be carried with either side up Without harming the contents of the crate.

' Heretoiore, it has been the usual practice to label egg crates cautioning express men and freight handlers concerning the condition of the crates, and as is well known, these precautions are oftentimes ignored and as a consequence the number of cracked or broken eggs' in transit is unduly excessive.

out harming the contents. The construction' adapted "to severev jars and is particularly cracking or break-ing the shocks without eggs.

t AIn addition to the use explained in connection with shipping eggs,ctl1e.crates alte par- Y ticularly adapted to the shipment of perisli- Y able vegetables, `berries and fruits, which are easily bruised byshocks 'and rough handling in transit. Y

l claim as my invention: y

12 `In a zcrate for fragile products the combinationyvith an outer box of an inner` crate comprising a bottom and removable side portions, .upper and lower relatively stiff base rneinbers, upper and -lo-Wer resilient removing upper and lower able means positioned above and below the base members for carrying the inner crate. 2. In a crate for fragile and perishable products the rcombinationWith a ventilated 3. In a crate'forperishable and fragile Products the Combination with Outer Qontailler 0f an mler @arrynafframe comprisbaSeS and side retainlng members, resilient removable Ineans p ositioned within the outer container 4and above and below the inner base members adapted to support the inner 'carrier in spring relation to the outer container.

' PETER. FILANSBURG.

25 comprising upper and Vlower bases 

